One of Supercars most exciting spectacles has returned to the grid this year, flames.
As the all-new Gen3 cars took to Sydney Motorsport Park for a pre-season test last week, they each began to spit flames out of their side exit exhausts.
While this may not be a big deal in most motorsport categories, its a visual effect that has been missing from the series for years.
This was because Supercars previously switched to E85, a blend of 85 per cent ethanol and 15 per cent 98 octane petrol.
However, all 25 cars for 2023 are now run on a new BP Ultimate E75 mixture which is causing unburnt fuel to ignite in the exhaust system on throttle overrun, producing a flame out of the exhaust.
The new fuel also has driving range and environmental benefits too considering it’s made from renewable feedstocks and the fact that it burns fewer litres in the same distance race compared to the old blend.
Kiwi driver for Brad Jones Racing, Andre Heimgartner, expressed his excitement for them following the test session last week.
“We’ve seen them standing still in photos for so long,” he remarked about the new cars.
“To actually come out here and see it in person… you come into Turn 1 and see the flames out the side.
“It’s pretty awesome for the spectators that got to come here.”
The return of flames to Supercars will be sure to excite many fans when the season gets underway at the Newcastle 500 on March 10 to 12, 2023.
Header Image: Shane van Gisbergen Facebook
